March, 2015 - St George on Yonge

March 29, 2015
Life at St. George’s
St. George’s Anglican Church: 5350 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario
“Mark’s Musings”
From the Incumbent’s Desk …
Dear Friends,
Blessings as we enter into the changing of seasons. As I have heard from many of you, it will be a welcome
relief to move from the dark and cold of winter into the light and refreshing warmth of spring.
We live in a time when there are many threatening and discouraging events happening around the world.
And, they are brought closer to home now in a way like they never did in the past through electronic media
and the internet. Something happens in Syria, the Middle East or Nigeria and we know about it almost
instantaneously. There is a negative side to that reality in that we experience increased fear and anxiety.
However, there is a positive too in that with this awareness comes the opportunity to pray for those
affected and in need. We really are a global village; what happens in one part of the world affects all of us.
As people of faith, when we feel helpless to do anything tangible to make a difference, all we can do is pray.
As so that’s what we do, with faith, hope and trust.
ISIS has presented itself as a real threat to so many individuals and countries around the world. The most
obvious places where they have had an impact are in Syria, Iraq and Turkey. Brutal threats have been
carried out resulting in atrocities that affect other countries and people too. They are a militant group of
extremists, making themselves a very real threat to security all around the world.
A key to remember is that they are extremists. Not all Muslims believe that what they are doing is right. In
fact, many Islamic leaders have condemned the actions of ISIS and have spoken out against this faction of
their faith. It is important to keep that in mind. Over time, there have been extremists in all religions,
including our own. They don’t speak for the whole; they are on the fringe. We need to pray for those who
are not part of the extremist movement who are
targeted by the rest of society.
The gospel throughout this coming Holy Week is also
about a faction of the society of Jesus’ time which
took the law into their own hands and condemned
him to die unjustly for wrongs he hadn’t committed.
The people were supportive of him; they wanted to
learn from him; they trusted him; they sought out
healing from him; they listened intently to his
teaching; they proclaimed him as Messiah shouting,
“Hosanna!!” But the swell of support was easily
swayed and those cries changed radically to “Crucify
Him!”
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
Inside this issue:
“Mark’s Musings”
1&2
Missions in China
3
Faith on Film and Television
4&5
What’s happening at St. George on Yonge
5
Announcements
7
Leadership 2015
7
Community Notices
8
Services
8
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Life at St. George’s
Injustice, wrong and violence are not new; far from it. A reading of the Old Testament and the earliest
of times shows it that reality. And today, they continue as enlightened as we are. Some things never
change.
I wonder, if we are honest with ourselves, how do we contribute to continued injustice and wrong
among people today who are hurt and abused. Maybe it’s through a system which limits their social
support when they are poor; or doesn’t 416
open
systemsExt.
that
assist when they are not able to function for
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one reason or another; or judges [email protected]
based on their cultural background; or supports government
initiatives that label individuals as dangerous just because of where they were born.
Jesus continues to be crucified today; nails are hammered into crosses; innocent people are judged, put
on trial and often found guilty with little evidence of wrongdoing. And we are often complicit to that,
even if it’s only because we say nothing, remain silent and let injustices keep happening. And I include
myself in that as well as all of us together.
Spiritually, we are about to embark on the most holy and sacred journey we can make; from the
triumphal entry of Palm Sunday through the last supper and Gethsemane to the arrest, trial, ridiculing,
suffering and betrayal of Jesus; and then that walk to Calvary carrying the burden of a heavy cross,
being nailed to it, and dying on it; being buried in a tomb and climaxing in the ultimate joy and promise
of Easter and the gift of the resurrection. What a journey with so many different emotions, all of which
bring us into the story that is at the center of our faith.
I encourage each of us to make this journey as completely as we can; be part of the story as it is lived
out. By finding ourselves amidst the various crowds, we acknowledge that this isn’t just a recounting of
something that happened a few centuries ago; it is about today and we are active in many of the
characters we meet. To walk this week in its entirety is a holy privilege; it will enhance our faith; and
prepare us all the more for the Alleluia’s of Easter morning.
As we have lived out a holy lent, I encourage you to live into this experience of holy week too. Yes,
there is pain and suffering, but there is also joy too. My prayer for each of us is that in experiencing the
highs and lows of this sacred walk, we will grow in our faith in God who loves and provides for us more
than we can ask or imagine.
Blessings as we enter humbly into this holy and sacred week in our church year.
Mark 
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
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Missions in China
EMAS
Last Year I went to 2 missions in China.
It is a charitable organization sending medical
teams to China and Africa. I joined the
Guangdong team.
CRRS Education Mission
CRRS is a charitable organization raising one
million dollars a year to support 1000 poor
students in Guangxi, a western province of
China. Instead of having small schools in
villages, Chinese government set up large
schools in big cities. Free education from grade
1 to 9, but students have to pay for board and
lodging. CRRS pays for the boarding of poor
students. The students can only go home in
weekends.
Our team consisted of 22 members from
Toronto and Vancouver. Most members are still
working. We visited schools in 7 cities in 2
weeks. From pass experience, the students very
much like to meet and talk to the sponsors in
person. There are always emotional scenes of
hugging and tears. Normally in each school we
sat down with the students we supported. We
gave them encouragement and some advice on
life, and they told us how poor their families
are, and always ended in tears. We also visited
their village homes in some cities. Their poor
conditions are expected.
The team consists of 15 members, 4 doctors
and 2 ultrasound specialists, 2 dentists, 2
dental assistants, one pharmacist, 2 general
help and a lot of medicines. I am one of the
general helper. Most of them are still working.
We stationed in one city near Hong Kong, and
traveled each day to a small town and usually
to a church. People would line up and waited
for the treatment. Helpers will register them,
check their blood pressure, give them
numbers, and escort them to the
doctors/specialists/dentists.
We worked 5 full days, Monday to Friday. Each
morning, we worshiped from 7 am to 7:30,
breakfast 7:30 to 8, and then on our way. I
requested CRRS to schedule their trip so that I
could go to the 2 missions back to back. This
year I am not so lucky, I am going to the
medical mission end of May, and the education
mission in November, 2 separate trips.
Kwan Luk
We had a couple of alumni dinners. It is very
rewarding to see students we supported
graduated from universities, having good jobs,
and some got married and have children. There
is a huge change in their lives.
I am in email with 5 of them, they email in
Chinese and I in English.
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
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Faith on Film and Television
by Craig Gustafson
Everwood (2002–2006, 4 seasons, 89 episodes).
Starring Treat Williams, Gregory Smith, Emily
VanCamp, Debra Mooney, John Beasley, Vivien
Cardone, Chris Pratt, Stephanie Niznik, Merrilyn
Gann, Tom Amandes, Scott Wolf, Sarah Drew, Jan
B. Felt. Available for purchase.
Dr. Andy Brown is a very successful brain surgeon
in New York. The medical world is in awe of his
talents. He has a wife, Julia, and two children,
Ephram (aged 15) and Delia (aged 8). Because of
the demands of his career, and because he is a
workaholic, Andy neglects his family. Like his
father, Ephraim has a unique gift; he is a talented
pianist.
One stormy night while on her way to Ephram’s
piano recital, Julia is killed by another driver
(possibly through this driver’s negligence). The
family is in shock and extreme grief. Out of a
promise he made to her, Andy decides to leave his
gift behind about eight months after Julia’s death,
and moves to the town of Everwood, Colorado,
population 9,000. Here he hopes to get to know
his children, who are relatively unknown to him,
and his patients, as in the past he merely has
operated on them and has not shown an interest in
them. His focus for his patients becomes quality of
life, rather than longevity of life.
Delia adores her father, but Ephram is very angry
that his father neglected his mother, and has
moved them to the middle of nowhere following
her death. Ephram also feels some guilt for feeling
angry, because Andy has missed many of his
important life events since he was saving lives
through his gift. This series is about Andy trying to
find happiness and peace after the death of his
wife, as well as becoming a good parent to his
children whom he has greatly neglected. In fact,
only after making peace with his children, can Andy
mend the estranged relationship with his father (in
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
Life at St. George’s
the last episodes of the series), whom he has not
seen since Ephram was four years old.
Andy is a Christian, although more out of
heritage than current beliefs. Indications are
that Julia was a devout Jewish woman, and
taught her children about her faith. As part of
honouring their mother, Ephraim and Delia try
to remember her faith, and occasionally follow
it.
“Deer God,” Season 1, Episode 5
A lost deer wonders into town, and into the
Brown home. Andy arranges for animal control
to come and take the deer home. When the
animal control worker arrives at the house, he
remarks to Ephram that he does not plan to take
the deer home to the reserve, but to the nearest
forested area where the worker himself hunts.
Angry, Ephram sends him away, and insists upon
taking the deer home; Andy insists upon going
too, which does not please Ephram because of
their strained relationship. After venturing far
into the woods for two days, they finally find the
reserve, and they have a sudden realisation that
a fire has destroyed it, which is why the deer
wandered in the first place. Ephram looses his
temper because he only wanted to take the deer
to the home she knew because she belongs
there and she would be safe there. Andy
suddenly realises that Ephram wanted to take
the deer home because he wants to go back to
life the family knew before Julia’s death. Both
the deer and Ephram are lost and long for their
previous homes, but neither home exists
anymore, and they need to adjust to their new
homes.
Meanwhile, one of Delia’s classmates sneezes,
and she says, “God bless you.” Her classmate
immediately becomes angry and claims that God
does not exist. This idea frightens Delia as she
believes her mother is in heaven with God. If
God does not exist, then where is her mother?
While Ephram and Andy attempt to take the
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deer home, Delia stays with Edna, Andy’s nurse and a veteran, and her husband, Irv. Delia asks many
questions about God, which makes Edna very uncomfortable and uneasy. She tries to change the
subject when Delia talks about God. Delia does not understand how people talk to God, and how God
answers. Edna remarks, “God doesn’t like to give easy answers.” To appease Delia, Edna takes her to
the nearest military camp to see the Chaplain, who is Jewish. His answer sounds like it came out of a
textbook, and is not at all helpful to an eight-year-old. On the way home they run out of gas, but make
it home anyway. Delia takes this sign as an obvious proof of God’s existence.
How do we recognise God’s existence? How to do we have a conversation with God? How do we know
God hears us? How does God answer us?
“Till Death Do Us Part,” Season 1, Episode 8
The town is abuzz with anticipation. Every year the Rev. Tom Keyes, the minister at Everwood Hope
Church, gives his Hope Sermon, and names the person in the community who most exemplifies the
virtue of hope. It does not appear that it is much of contest, as Irv has been named for the last three
years.
In the week leading up to Hope Sunday, Tom and his wife, Sally, go to Andy with a medical problem that
prevents them from being intimate. Sally feels her husband takes her for granted. When Andy fails to
determine the cause of the medical problem, he tries to counsel them instead, but they decide to
separate. While he witnesses this couple with marital problems, Andy remembers that the same week
holds his and Julia’s 20th wedding anniversary. He cannot understand why anyone would choose to
end a marriage, given that his ended so tragically, and he would give anything to have Julia back.
Ephram is away on a class trip, and Andy faces these problems alone. After a very distressing week,
Andy finds himself at the church one stormy night, praying for his joy and life back because he is quite
distraught. Everyone in his life is just as broken as he is. He has no joy, and no longer knows the
purpose of his life. Tom himself goes to the church to pray, and hears Andy’s words of desperation.
The next Sunday, Tom announces the end of his marriage, and his visit to the church earlier that week,
looking for God’s comfort, but found instead someone more dispirited than himself. This person
demonstrated a broken heart and a weaken spirit. He reminds the congregation of the importance of
community; we need to lean on each other. Hope, he determines, is the ability to look into the future
and imagine a better moment for which to strive. He announces that this year he names the person of
the community most deserving of hope and the support of the community: Dr. Andy Brown. Tom
encourages the community to help Andy find what he came to Everwood to seek: peace, joy, and hope.
Many times we are so caught up in our own difficulties that we do not see the pain of others, and do
not ask ourselves what we can do to help the other person. One of the best ways to heal ourselves is to
help others. Who do we know who is worthy of hope?
The Rev. Tom Keyes makes two more appearances in this series, and we learn something about faith
each time, not because he is a minister, but because he is a person of faith who experiences challenges
and disappointments.
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
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Life at St. George’s
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What’s Happening at St. George on Yonge
This Lenten and Easter Season

Candlelight Communion
Wednesday, March 25 7:30 p.m.
Candlelight Communion & reflection on Handel’s Messiah

Holy Week
Sunday, March 29
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Palm Sunday
Remembering Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna!
Monday, March 30
7:30 p.m.
Candlelight Communion & reflection on Handel’s Messiah
Tuesday, March 31
7:30 p.m.
Candlelight Communion Service with Anointing for healing
Wednesday, April 1
7:30 p.m.
Candlelight Communion & reflection on Handel’s Messiah
Thursday, April 2
7:30 p.m.
Remembering the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples
Maundy Thursday
Friday, April 3
Remembering the day Jesus was on trial and nailed to the cross.
9:30 a.m. Family Service of “Stations of the Cross”
11:00 a.m. Solemn Service for Good Friday

Good Friday
Easter
Saturday, April 4
8:00 p.m.
Holy Saturday
We keep vigil & celebrate communion sharing the joy that the tomb is empty!
Sunday, April 5
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Easter
Communion Services to celebrate that Jesus is risen! Alleluia!!
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Come and join us in this spiritual pilgrimage
as we walk the way of suffering, death, & passion
to ultimately embrace
the joy & new life of resurrection!
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
416 225-1922
Life at St. George’s
Announcements
March is Census Month: in order to ensure that we
have everyone’s contact information (as well as the
correct contact information), we ask you to check
the information that we have, and to add any
information that we are missing. The contact list will
be available following the services for the month of
March. Please take a few minutes to check. If you
require a nametag, a request can be made at this
time. Thank you!
ESL Conversational Classes:
Tuesdays, 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m.
Separate beginner- and intermediate-level sections
are offered. No registration needed.
Proverbs Class: Thursdays, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Many Mandarin people are very interested in
learning, in terms of both the English language and
the Bible. At this phase, they are seekers of faith.
Therefore, we will teach English to them by using the
Book of Proverbs as a curriculum, hoping that we can
share the Gospel through the Word of the Lord.
Fergie’s Knights: Come join the Knights on the 4th
Thursday every month. The longest journey begins
with just one small step. Take that first step and join
Fergie’s Knights for spirited conversation, a cold
beverage, and great food this month at the “Frog &
Firkin” (4854 Yonge Street, across from the Sheppard
Centre on Yonge Street). The next dates are
Thursday, March 26; Thursday, April 23; Thursday,
May 28; Thursday, June 25.
Due to the Lenten study at the Sisterhood of St John
the Divine, 233 Cummer Avenue, M2M 2E8 (east of
Willowdale Avenue), Fergie’s Knights will meet (on
March 26) to the Convent. Remember, any journey
begins with that first step and the path travelled
always seems shorter when you have company along
the way. As always, please feel free to join us there
as well. If you would like to join us, please let Doug
Heyes know as the Convent kitchen needs to know
the number of people coming. A service of Evening
Prayer begins at 5:00, and supper begins at 5:30. We
will eat our supper and chat together. The cost for
supper is $10 and is paid at the time.
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Did You Know? Bulletins along with recordings of
the service (sermons and announcements) are
available on our website on the “Worship Schedule”
page. If you cannot make it to the service, we hope
you will feel connected to us via these tools!
The Anglican Journal is a newspaper published
monthly (except July and August) by the Anglican
Church of Canada. All Canadian Anglican members
are entitled to receive this publication at $10/year.
If you would like to receive the newspaper delivered
to your home, please write a note for Craig
Gustafson, or send him an e-mail message at
[email protected] and he will add your
name to the list. You can also view the newspaper
on the National Church’s website at
www.anglicanjournal.com
Leadership 2015
Parish Executive (also members of Parish Council)
Elected by Congregation
People’s Warden
Deputy People’s Warden
Max Wynter
Sherwin Ferdinands
Appointed by Incumbent
Rector’s Warden
Deputy Rector’s Warden
Aili Maki
Kien Siu
Appointed by Wardens
Deputy Warden for Property Egan Done
Deputy Warden for Finance Anne Wynter
Parish Council
Elected by Congregation
Clavel Lyttle, Hazel Perkin, Angela Goodwill, Kwan
Luk, Margie Lyttle, Raj Sircar, Geraldine Sperling
Appointed by Incumbent
Carolyn Poon Woo, Chip Barker, Colleen Happi,
DeLacey Graham, Doug Heyes
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Community Notices
Yonge Churchill Child Care Centre: Before and after school programmes are available! Please see the flyer on
the Welcome Desk for contact information.
Services
Sunday
8:00 a.m.
Said Eucharist (BAS 1962)
10:30 a.m.
Sung Eucharist (BAS)
3rd Sunday of the month (AAAWE)
12:00 noon
Mandarin Fellowship
BAS 1962 (Book of Alternate Services) uses the 1962 rite which is the traditional language as in the BCP (Book of
Common Prayer)
BAS (Book of Alternate Services) uses contemporary, inclusive-language
AAAWE (Amazing, Awesome, Alternate Worship Experience) is a Communion service that is more informal with
alternative music and prayers
Mandarin Fellowship is offered on the 2nd Floor. We hope our Mandarin Fellowship can be a “harbour for love,”
where we seek truth together, while experiencing and receiving the abundant grace of God.
衷心欢迎您来到圣乔治堂大家庭。我们的国语团契每周日中午12点在教会二楼举行主日灵修聚
会。盼望国语团契可以成为一个爱的港湾，在这里我们一起寻求上帝的真理，一起经历上帝的同
在，一起领受上帝的恩典。
The next edition of the newsletter will be coming out on June 6, 2015
Deadline is Sunday, May 24th at 3:45 p.m.
Email articles to the editor: Kathy Baillie at [email protected]
REMEMBER,
EVERYONE IS WELCOME
AT ST. GEORGE ON YONGE CHURCH
We’re on the Web! See us at:
www.StGeorgesToronto.ca
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church
“To nurture our relationships with God in Christ,
with one another, and with our community.”
5350 Yonge Street, North York
416 225-1922